SOMERSET is to move into Tier 4 restrictions as a surge in Covid-19 cases continues across the country.

The move was announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock in the Commons this afternoon - and the new restrictions apply from midnight tonight (Wednesday).

The Somerset County Council area is affected, which is the Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton, South Somerset and Mendip district council areas.

Bath and North East Somerset will rise to Tier 3 restrictions from midnight.

Mr Hancock said following the announcent, three quarters of the country will be in Tier 3 or Tier 4 by Thursday morning.

“Sharply rising cases and the hospitalisations that follow demonstrate the need to act where the virus is spreading,” he said.

The Health Secretary told MPs that the majority of new cases recorded yesterday “are believed to be the new variant”.

Mr Hancock added: “Unfortunately, this new variant is now spreading across most of England and cases are doubling fast.

“It is therefore necessary to apply Tier 4 measures to a wider area, including the remaining parts of the South East, as well as large parts of the Midlands, the North West, the North East and the South West."

Tier 4 restrictions mean non-essential shops, beauty salons and hairdressers must close, with people limited to meeting in a public outdoor place with their household, or one other person, only.

“Even in most areas not moving into Tier 4, cases are rising too, and it is therefore necessary to apply Tier 3 measures more broadly too – including in Liverpool and North Yorkshire," Mr Hancock said.

What Tier 4 rules mean for Somerset:

  • Residents should stay at home, unless they have a "reasonable excuse" to be out, including work and education
  • All non-essential shops must close, which includes hairdressers and nail bars
  • Indoor entertainment venues, such as cinemas and theatres, must close
  • Gyms and indoor swimming pools, indoor sports courts and dance studios must also close
  • People must not meet indoors, unless they share a household or are part of a support bubble
  • People should not leave tier four areas or travel abroad
  • Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies are only allowed in exceptional circumstances
  • Vulnerable people are advised to stay at home as much as possible and should not go to work unless able to work from home

“The rest of Yorkshire remains in Tier 3. These changes will take effect from 00:01 tomorrow morning.

“The new variant means that three quarters of the population are now going to be in Tier 4 and almost all of the country in Tiers 3 and 4.

“And I know that Tier 3 and 4 measures place a significant burden on people, and especially on businesses affected, but I am afraid it is absolutely necessary because of the number of cases that we’ve seen.

“But where we are still able to give places greater freedoms, we will continue to do so.”

The news comes after the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was approved for use in the UK on Wednesday morning, with people set to receive the first doses on Monday (January 4).